Mokha Center Organizes a Symposium on the Role and Challenges of Civil Society Organizations in Times of Conflict

Marib – Yemen

A symposium titled “Civil Society in Times of Conflict: From Marginalization to Presence and Influence” was held in Marib, organized by the Mokha Center for Strategic Studies. The event aimed to discuss the challenges facing civil society organizations and explore ways to enhance their role and effectiveness.

Researcher Yusuf Al-Durwani highlighted the legal and security restrictions impeding CSOs, particularly in Houthi-controlled areas, stressing that the absence of a clear legal framework and the lack of organized government policies exacerbate their crisis and weaken their ability to provide services.

Meanwhile, researcher Fahmi Al-Zubairi pointed out that these organizations are under heavy surveillance, leading to the suspension of projects and, in some cases, their transformation into extensions of the controlling authorities. Dhi Yazan Al-Ahmar added that lack of funding and instability are additional challenges hindering the implementation of development and humanitarian projects.

Despite these obstacles, Al-Durwani emphasized the importance of international cooperation, transparency mechanisms, and building local and global alliances to ensure the sustainability of civil society organizations.

The symposium papers also called for legal and administrative reforms to ensure the independence of CSOs and expand their role to include sustainable development.

The event concluded by affirming that the future of Yemen’s civil society depends on its ability to adapt to the current situation and reclaim its role in development and stability. This requires significant efforts and fundamental reforms to strengthen its position in society.